Starting Over After 40 Isn’t a Setback
Starting Over After 40 Isn’t a Setback—It’s a Rebuild Fueled by Reality and Resilience
There’s a narrative floating around that women in midlife start over because they’re "inspired" or suddenly feel "called" to something new. And sometimes that’s true. But for many of us, including me, our next chapter isn’t born from inspiration. It’s born from exclusion. Yup.
When I was let go from my corporate role as the Senior Marketing Manager for Park Meadows Retail Resort (my dream job) in my mid-forties with international awards and a proven track record in shopping center marketing, I assumed I’d land somewhere quickly. I sent out hundreds of resumes. Crickets.
It didn’t seem to matter that I’d successfully marketed some of today’s biggest malls (Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip included), won big, led teams had an amazing bank of connections and contacts. Somewhere along the line, I went from asset to overlooked. And yes, I believe age bias had something to do with it when I looked back.
So, I did what women over 40 do best: I kicked open my own freaking door. I launched a marketing and PR agency, started gaining clients, and eventually brought in a business partner as it grew. Years later, I tried again to re-enter corporate marketing at ‘only’ 51. Same story: unemployable, or should I say, undesirable, in the eyes of employers.
That second rejection is what ultimately fueled the creation of SecondActWomen. Not because I wanted a passion project. But because I knew women like me - experienced, accomplished, still damn capable AND wanting to work, were being systematically dismissed. One by one by one.
Which is why an article like “Starting Over After Age 40: How These 3 Women Did It” hits deep.
Not because their stories are perfect, but because they echo what many of us live:
Sometimes starting over isn’t a choice. It’s survival.
We don’t restart from scratch; we rebuild using decades of earned experience.
Community and connection aren’t nice-to-haves; they’re lifelines.
We’re not chasing potential; we are the result of it.
Starting over after 40 doesn’t make us late. It makes us layered. Can I get an Amen?
And here’s the thing: whether you’re pivoting careers, launching a new company out of need or stepping into a new professional brand identity after a door slammed shut, it’s okay.
You’re not behind. You’re ahead of the game if you think about it.
